Close the shop: Stefan Nauheim and his brother Michael Nauheim no longer want to work with Ford.
Image: Ben Kilb
In Eschborn, a traditional house is closing. Many car manufacturers are currently restructuring their sales – at the expense of trade, say the owners.
After more than 90 years, Auto Nauheim in Eschborn is closing its doors at the end of June. The company informed around 6,000 customers in writing and also published its motives online. First and foremost is the termination of existing dealership contracts by the car manufacturer Ford. The affiliation contract that the carmaker submitted “does not correspond to what we imagine as freelancers,” write managing directors Stefan and Michael Nauheim.
The topic is currently driving many car dealers, because other car manufacturers also want to restructure their sales. The Opel mother Stellantis went public with corresponding plans in November. While the reform will take effect for the premium brand Lancia and the group’s commercial vehicles as early as 2024, there should be longer transition periods for sellers of Opel, Peugeot, Citroën and Fiat cars in Germany.